Lamp holder for double ended tubular lamps



Sept. 16, 1952 B. c. WEBSTER 2,610,997

LAMP HOLDER FOR DOUBLE ENDED TUBULAR LAMPS Filed April 19, 1948 INVENTOR ay 4 Be /am/n C. h/ebjfer'.

WITNESSES:

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 LAMP HOLDER FOR DOUBLE ENDED T BULAR LAMPS; Benjamin C. Webster, Southport, 00 m; assigncr to The Bryant Electric CompanygBridgeport, C0nn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 22,011

My invention relates, generally to lam'pholders for tubular discharge lamps and, more particularly. to a lamp holder for use with "doubleended. fluorescent lamps of the semi-circular type.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a lamp holder which shall be of simple and economical construction, and which may be readily used in pairs for mounting a single semi-circular lamp, or a pair of such lamps in end-to-end relation to provide a complete circle, or any other desired combination of lamps.

A- more specific object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder which is of dual or doublesided construction whereby'lamps may be plugged in on opposite sides so that one holder supports the adjacent ends of two semi-circular lamps.

Another object of my invention is to provide a holder of this general type wherein definitely spaced contact members for receiving the spaced contact pins of the lamp are mounted in a hol-' lov. supporting housing forlimited movement in a direction so as to accommodate itself to diine nsional variations in lamp'manufacture.

Another object of my-invention is to provide aholder 0f thisgeneral type whereinga pair o'f contact members are mountedin spaced relation on a carrier or moulding which is movably mounted within a hollow supporting housingso as to accommodate itself to dimensional variations of the lamp manufacture. a A .furth'er object of my invention is to provide a lamp; holder of the "double-sided construction having two sets of contact members or contact assemblies mounted for limited independent.

movement within the housing in such directions as to accommodate themselves to dimensional variation" in lamp manufacture. Another object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder of the double-sided construction wherein the contact assemblies mounted adjacent the opposite sides or faces of the holder are so constructed as to provide telescoping or over-.

lapping positioning of the contact plns of the lamps so as to reduce the 'thickness of the holder to a minimum. 7 n I A further object of my invention is to provide, in a lamp holder of this type, for relieving strain on the ends of the wire leads andcontactmembers within the housing without interfering with theireedom of movement of the contactfv carrier within' the housing. 1 r

Another object of my invention to provide. in a lamp holder Iof-'this'type,' for retaining all of the movable parts of the holder in their work- 13 Claims. (Cl. 173-:328)

ing relation by means of a two-piece housing comprised of complementary halves of sections. These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an outside face View. in e eva n. Of

a, lamp holder embodying the principal features y invention;

Fig. 2 'is a side view, in elevation, of the lamp holder of Fig. 1;

r Fig. 3 is an inside face view, in elevation, of one-half of the complete holder as shown in Fig. 1; I I V Fig, tie a view in section of the portion of the holder shown in Fig. 3 taken along lines IV-IV with the plate of Fig. 6 in position;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the holder of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a face view, in elevation, of one of. the insulating plates; v

Fig. 7 is an end-elevational view thereof; Fig. 8 a front view, in elevation, of one of the contact carriers or mouldings;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional viewtaken along lines IX- IX of Fig. 8; I I

lg; 10 is a back ,view,in elevation, ,of one of the contact carriers; Fig. ll'is a cross-sectional view taken along lines XIXI of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a .side-e levational view of a contact element; I

13 is an end view thereof; Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the various parts of'aj complete lamp holder showing their relative positions when assembled; and a y, [Fig/[15 is a view showing one way in which'two of the lamp holders of my invention may be used to support a pair of semi-circular lamps.

In practicing my invention in the preferred form, the holder is comprised of a hollow twopiece supporting housing of insulating material in which are mounted'a pairof contact carriers oif mouldings also made of insulating material, a pair of plate members interposed therebetween,

and a'pair of metallic contact members carried tion, and-with mountingscrews which engage nuts held within suitable cavities. The opposed; I

holder comprising, generally, a pair of housing sections and 2|, a pair of contact carriers or mouldings 22 and 23, two pairs of contact members 24-25 and 26-2'| and a pair of plates 28 and 29. In this view, these parts are shown in a separated or exploded form so as to bring out their relationship when assembled into a unitary structure.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the housing sections 20 and 2| may be held together by means of suitable riveted eyelets or screws 3| extending. through. openings as shown. Each housing section is provided with a pair of elongated openings spaced apart at least a sufiicient distance to receive the lamp prongs. As shown in Fig. l, the housing section 20 is provided with openings 32 and 33. The other housing section 2| is provided with similar openings. The centers of these openings are preferably disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal or vertical axis of the housing and lie on a line which extends at an angle of about 45 to the longitudinal axis. In Fig. 1 the upper opening 32 is at the right and the loweropening 33 at'the left-hand side of the face shown. On the opposite face of the housing, the openings corresponding to these openings 32 and 33 arereversed and their centers 'lie on a line which extends at an angle of about 45 to the longitudinal axis but at an angle of about 90 with the line extending through the centers of .the openings 32 and 33.

Referring now to.Fig. 3,, which shows an internal view of one-half of the holden'i. e., theback half as viewed in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the housing section 2| is recessed to provide a deep rectangular recess or cavity 34 in its upper end. A pair of shallower U.-shaped passages or channels 35 and 36 extend from the-bottomof the housing sectionupw'ardly toward the recess 35.and 36 to their respective contact members 26 and 2'! in the carrier. ,It is to be understood that the other housing section 20 is constructed in the same manner to accommodate the other pair of conductors 43. and 44. so that when the two sections are placed together as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, two spaced apart bottom openings are formed to receive both pairsof conductors.

In order to effectively clamp the ends of the conductors between the housing sections and thereby provide for relieving the inner ends of these conductors and theirv associated contact members from undue strain such as might interfere with the free movement of the carriers 22 and 23 or break the electrical connections within the housing, each of the passages 35 and 36 as well as the corresponding passages in the other housing section may be so formed as to effectively grip the conductors when the housing sections are fastened together. I v

As shown in Fig. 4, the passage. 36 may be provided witha relatively sharp clamping lug or projection 45 which bites into or indents the insulation of the conductor 42 to such extent as to effectively hold it at the desired position. The other passage 35 of this housing section may have a similar projection 46 as shown in Fig. 3. The corresponding passages in the other housing section 20 may have similar projections so that each conductor is properly gripped between the sections so as to provide adequate strain relief.

Two smaller spaced apart recesses are provided. at the bottom of each housing section to receive the mounting screws and hold their nuts in place. As shown in Fig. 3, the housing section 2! has recesses and 48 of sufficient depth to receive onehalf of the bolts 5| and 52 and nuts 53 and 54. The other housing section 20 has similar and matching recesses so that when the sections are placed together as in Fig. 2, the nuts 53 and 54 are held against turning and serve as anchors for the bolts 5| and 52.

Fig. 3 shows the manner in which the contact carriers and their associated contact members are mounted in the housing sections. The contact carrier 23 is positioned within the rectangular recess 34 and is of such s'me that it may move transversely as well as longitudinally of the housing section to a limited degree This view also shows one pair of the contact members 26 and 2'! positioned in the carrier 23 and attached to their leads 4| and 42. 1 7

Referring now to Figs. 8 through ll, which show the details of the identical contact carriers 22 and 23, it will be observed-from Fig. 8 that the carrier 23, for example, is provided on its front surface with hollow projections or bosses 51 and 58 having openings 59 and 6| to receive the contact pins of the lamp. These hollow project ions extend through elongated openings in the face of the housing section 2| similar to the openings 32 and 33 shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 10-shows the details of the back face of thecarrier 23 which is provided with a, long L -shaped shallow recess 62 and another shorter, L-shaped shallow recess 63 connecting the lower edge of the carrier with openings 59 and 6|, respectively. The recess :62 has-an extending portion 64 below the opening 5 9 which corresponds generally in shape to another shallow recess 65 above the other opening 6|. a a

As shown in Fig. 3, the L-shaped recesses 62 and 63 are for the purpose of receiving and holding the contact members 26' and 21 and the ends of their lead wires. The purpose of the recesses 64.and 65 is to receive the ends of the lamp-pins extending through the other pair of contact members; 24 and 25 mounted on the othercarrier It will be understood that this assembly of the contact carrier 22 and its contact members 24 and 25 are reversed in the housing with respect to the assembly just described including contact carrier 23 so that when it is placed in facing relation thereto with its contact members mounted in the L-shaped recesses, the ends of the other pair of lamp pins extending through contact members 26 and 21 will be received by its recesses tact pins of the two lamps within the housing and reduces the thickness of the lamp holder, therebyholding the spacing between the adjacent. ends .of the lamps to a minimum.

In view .of the foregoing, it will be apparent corresponding to recesses 64 and 65 in the carrier It is apparent that this permits of a telescoping arrangement or positioning of the con 5 that two independently movable or floating con-'' tact assemblies are provided which effectively compensate for all permissible manufacturing variations in .the lamps. The lamp pins engage the contact members on the carriers directly through the large elongated openings in the opposite, faces of the housing and the smaller openings through the bosses of the carriers;

Plates 28 and 29 .are identical and the details of plate 29., for example, are shown in Figs. 6 and 7., As shown in Fig. 6, the plate 29, which is preferably formed of thin insulating material, is provided with a pair of elongated openings 66 and 6'! and a pair of small openings 66 and 69. As will be observed, the elongated openings 66 and ,61 have the same relative locations as the recesses 64 and 65 in the carrier, and that the small openings -68 and 69 have the same relative locations as the openings 59 and 61 in the contact carrier 23. 'In other words, the diagonally opposite openings in the plates have their centers on intersecting .lines disposed at an angle of about 90 to each other and at an angle of about 45 from the vertical.

The insulating plate -29, for example, fits upon the contact assembly as'shown in Fig. 4. The small openings 68 and 159 receive projections on contact members 2.8 and 21 which extend outwardly from the faceof the carrier, and the elongated openings 66 and 6?! line up with the elongated recesses 64 and 65 in the carrier 23.

Figs. 12 and 13 show the details of the contact members. The individual members of each pair are of substantially the same shape except that they areof reversed form as shown in Fig. 3.

Each contact member such, ior-examplaas 26, is

preferably formed of a single piece of thin flat metal bent into a U-shaped formation with the two spaced and substantially parallel arm portions H and 12 joined by a connecting portion 13 to which the lead conductor is attached. The

arm portions H and 72 are provided at one side with lips 14 and 15 to receive and guide the ends of the contact pins of the lamp between the arm portions, and may be provided at the opposite side with projecting portions 16 and 11, only one of which shows up in Fig. 12. While the projectingportions l6 and 1?! have beenshow-n as hook-shaped it is to be understood that they may be straight or in any other desired shape.

When a pair of contact members, such as .216

and 21, are placed in the carrier 23, as shown in Figs. .3 and 4, the hook-shaped portions 16 and 11 on each. pair of contact members are in up posed relation extending toward each other and above the inner face oftheir associated carrier 23 in such position as to hook over the opposed edges 58a and 69a of" the openings 68 and 59 in the plate 2.9. This arrangement shown in Fig. 4 wherein the hook shaped portions TB and T! of. contact members 2'1 extend through the small opening 69.

It will be readilyunderstood that this arrangementv functions to hold the plate in its proper positionlon the lcarrieflduring assembly Ioi'the' lamp holder and alsoto. keep it in proper. position with respect to its associated carrier in the Fig. 15 shows how a pair of these double sidedholders 8! and 82 may be used to support and conduct current to a pair of :semi-circularlamps 83 and 84.. The lamps. which are providedwlth a pair of contact pins .at each end, arezsimp'ly plugged into the opposite sides of the holders to formla complete circle. It will be :apparentthat other arrangements of lamps andho'lders may be made as desired. I

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that my invention provides .a lamp holder par ticularly suitable for use with semi-circular lamps for supporting such lamps iinzvarious ar rangements or configurations. The .holder is so constructed that .it may be used inconjunction with another holder to support and provide good electrical connection for a single lampora pair of lamps, any one of which may have consider: able manufacturing variation in their lengths and relative positions of their contact pins. This is made possible in the case of any single lamp by use of floating contact assemblies mounted within the supporting housing for a, limited" amount of movement in such directions assto compensate for manufacturing variations-,in'thc, single lamp; and in the case of a pair of lamps by having separate and independently movable; contact assemblies in each housing. In addi-. tion, this double-sided holder is made I upot pairs of identical parts and the workingparts .or elements of the holder are held in their working positions by means of the twoidentical housing sections. The leads are so attached to the contact members of each assembly and, mounted within the housing that they donot in :any way interfere with the free movement of the contact assembly. In addition, the ends of the leads are securely clamped or gripped between the -bot: tom edges of the housing sections as to provide adequate strain relief for those portions of the leads and contact members within thehousing. While my invention has been described in detail using a lamp holder of the double-sided type as an .example, it isto be understood that the 1. .A lamp holder comprising, .ahollowhousing having a face portion with spaced openings there? in, an insulating contact carrier mounted within; the housing behind said spaced openings e gage, having spaced openings definedby integral-boss; es extending into the spaced openings of the housing, said carrier being movably mounted within the housing for movement in a plane parallel to the plane of said one face of the housing,

contact members mounted on the carrieradi acent the spaced openings therein, andsaid bosses being considerably smaller in size than said housing openings so as to be accessible through said hous-jing openings throughout a limited rangeof move ment of said carrier relative to said housing.

2.iA lamp holder ioruse with semi-circular electric discharge lamps having contact pin at the opposite ends comprising, a housing of ins lating material having a cavity therein and a pg;

of spaced openings in aface portion-thereot'com municating with the cavity through which contact pins of the lamp maybe irrsertedigsuidg even though openings'having their centers on a line disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing,a plate-like insulating carrier mounted within the housing in said cavity for limited movement' therein'for movement in a plane'parallel to the plane of said one face of the housing, a pair of resilient contact members mounted on the carrier in registering relation with said face openings in definitely spaced relation to receive the lamp pins, and each of said contact members having a contact pin receiving opening considerably smalla;- in size than said housing openings so as to'b accessible through said housing openings throughout the limited floating movement of said carrier relative to said housing thereby to provide a holder having a floating contact assembly'which automatically adjusts itself when the lamp pins are inserted to compensate for permissible manufacturing variation of the lamp dimensions.

3. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having a pair of spaced openings in each of a pair of-opposite faces thereof, a contact member in the housing behind each ofsaid openings, the openings in one of said faces being angularly displaced relative to the openings in the opposite face and the in'teriorof said housing havin terminal pin receiving recess means freely communicating with the openings in one face of the housing and overlapping terminal pin receiving recess means which freely communicate with the openings in the opposite face of the housing, whereby lamp terminal pins of two separate lamps may be inserted in its openings in the opposite faces of the housing, respectively, and be positioned in overlapping relation in the housing.

4. A lamp holder for use with semi-circular electric discharge lamps having contact pins at the opposite ends comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed flat fac portions, a pair of spaced elongated openings in at least one face portion through which the lamp pins may be inserted, said openings having their centers positioned on a line disposed in predetermined angular' relation to the longitudinal aXis' ofthehousing, a contact carrier of insulating material slidably mounted within the housing back of said openings, said carrier having bosses on on side the'reofextending into the spaced openings in said one face of the housin and having openings therein to'receive' the lamp pins, and electrical contact members mounted on the other side of the carrier to be engaged by the lamp pins;

5. A lamp holder for use with semi-circular electric discharge lamps having contact pins at the. opposite ends comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed flat face portions, a

pair' of elongated openings in each face portion: with the centers of one pair of openings positioned on a line disposed in'predetermined angular relations to the longitudinal axis of the housing and to a'line extending through the centers of the other pair of openings, contact carriers of insulating material loosely mounted within the housing in back-to-back relation behind the openings in each face portion thereof, respectively, said contact carriers having openings registering with the elongated openings in the fac portions and spaced to receive the lamp pins, and contact membersmounted on the sides of the carriers which are adjacent each other at points adjacent the openings in the carriers to be engaged by the lamp pins when inserted through the elongated openingsin the face portions of the housing.

6-.' A lamp holder for use with double-ended electric discharge lamps having spaced contact pins extending from th ends thereof comprising, a'hollow-body member having a pair of spaced openings in a face portion thereof, said openings having their centers positioned on a line extending at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the body member, an insulating contact carrier loosely mounted within the body member behind the openings for limited movement laterally as well as longitudinally of the body member, and contact members mounted on the carrier in fixed spaced relation to receive the contact pins of the lamp through the'spaced openings in the face portion'of the body member, and each of said contact members having a contact pin receiving opening considerably smaller in size than said housing openings so as to be accessible through said housing openings throughout the limited floating movement of said carrier relative to said housing.

'7. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps of the semi-circular type having contact pins at the ends thereof comprising, a housing of insulating material formed of two complementary sections with oppositely disposed substantially parallel flat face portions with spaced openings therein, said housing sections being recessed on their inner faces to form a cavity between the openings in the opposed faces, a pair of fiat contact carriers of insulating material disposed in said cavity, said carriers being slidably mounted in the cavity, a pair of contact elements mounted in fixed spaced relation on each carrierand communicating with the openings in the face portions of the housing to receive the contact pins of the lamps therethrough, said carriers and their associated contact members forming floating contact assemblies which are each freely movable within the housing to compensate for manufacturing inaccuracies in the dimensions of the lamps.

8. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed flat fac portions with a pair of spaced openings in each face portion, a pair of contact carriers mounted in the housing between the flat face portions thereof and also having spaced openings registering with the openings in the faces of the housing, said carriers being separately mounted for movement in said housing so as to be movable with respect to the housing and to each other, and a pair of contact members mounted on each carrier adjacent the spaced openings therein.

9. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed flat face portions with a pair of spaced openings in each face portion, a pair of insulating contact carriers mounted within the housing-in back to back relation between the flat face portions thereof for movement with respect to the housing and to each other and having spaced openings registering with the openings in the faces of the housing, said carriers being recessed on their opposed back faces for mounting contact members thereon adjacent the spaced openings therein, contact members mount ed in said recesses, and a pair of insulating plates disposed between the opposed back facesof the carriers. I

10. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed fiat face portions with a pair of spaced openings'in each face portion, a pair of contact carriers formed of insulating material mounted within the housing in back to back relation between the face portions thereof for movement both relative to the housing and to each other and having spaced openings defined by bosses extending with the spaced openings in the opposite face portions of the housing, said carriers having recesses on their opposed back faces individual to each opening, contact members positioned in said recesses adjacent to each opening, said contact members havin hook portions extending beyond the surfaces of the carriers, and a pair of plates of insulating material mounted between the carriers, said plates each having openings spaced to receive the hook portions of their respective pairs of contact members.

11. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed flat face portions with a pair of spaced openings in each face portion, a pair of contact carriers of insulating material slidably mounted within the housing in back to back relation between the face portions thereof for movement relative to the housin and independently of each other and having spaced openings registering with the spaced openings in the sides of the housing, said openings in one carrier and in the adjacent side of the housing being 7 disposed in different angular relation with respect to the openings in the other carrier and its adjacent side wall of the housing, said carriers each having recesses in their opposed back faces individual to the spaced openings therein and additional recesses individual to and registering with the spaced openings in the recesses individual to the spaced openings of the other of said carriers, and a pair of plates of insulating material positioned between the carriers, each of said plates having openings registering with the recesses in their associated plates.

12. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing of two-piece construction formed of complementary sections recessed on their adjacent faces to provide a generally rectangular cavity with passages extending therefrom to the exterior of the housing, at least one of said sections having spaced openings therein into the cavity, a contact carrier of insulating material mounted in the cavity for sliding movement in a plurality of directions, a pair of contact members mounted on the carrier in registering relation with said spaced openings, insulated lead wires extending into the housing to the contact members on the carrier through said passages in the housing, said pas- 10 sages being provided with transverse projections formed to tightly engage the lead wires when the housing sections are pulled together, and fastenin meansfor holding the housing sections together.

13. A lamp holder comprising, a hollow housing having oppositely disposed fiat face portions with a pair of spaced openings in each face portion, a pair of contact carriers of insulating material slidably mounted within the housing in back-tO-back relation between the face portions thereof for movement relative to the housing and independently of each other and having spaced openings registering with the spaced openings in the sides of the housing, said openings in one carrier and in the adjacent side of the housing being disposed in different angular relation with respect to the openings in the other carrier and its adjacent side wall of the housing, said carriers each having recesses in their opposed back faces individual to the spaced openings therein and additional recesses individual to and registering with the spaced openings in the recesses individual to the spaced openings of the other of said carriers, and a pair of plates of insulating material positioned between the carriers, each of said plates having Openings registering with the recesses in their associated plates.

BENJAMIN C. WEBSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,954,375 Blinn Apr. 10, 1934 1,995,386 Frank Mar. 26, 1935 2,192,737 Folsom Mar. 5, 1940 2,243,567 Linde May 27, 1941 2,319,122 Funk May 11, 1943 2,400,381 Young May 14, 1946 2,424,986 Hubbell et a1 Aug. 5, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642,086 France May 1, 1928 OTHER REFERENCES Page 58 of Lighting and Lamps for Aug. 1947. 

